Taiwan to add Tainan Urgent Care Center due to high demand

Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare is adjusting its Urgent Care Center (UCC) pilot program following a review of service utilization across major cities. Minister Shi Chung-liang announced that Tainan City plans to establish an additional UCC location due to high patient volume, which averages approximately 800 visits per month.

In contrast, Taipei City is seeing significantly lower usage, with roughly 40 visits per month, prompting officials to review whether existing locations should be adjusted or if promotional efforts need strengthening. The UCC pilot program, which launched in November 2023, currently operates 13 locations across six major cities to alleviate emergency room congestion during Sundays and national holidays.

Addressing recent social media reports regarding long wait times for hospital beds in emergency departments, Minister Shi noted that while certain medical centers remain crowded, overall data suggests that waiting times for inpatient beds have improved compared to last year.